FIGURE 1
Curelator Headache Population Map Displays Trigger & Protector Profiles for 150 Migraineurs
Figure 1 Visual Migraine Language™( VML) was developed with migraine neurologists and graphically describes the world of factors and symptoms that may influence an individual’ s risk of attack. This pictorial approach eases data entry and reduces tracking time to 2 to 3 minutes per day. VML factors and symptoms are tracked daily for 45 to 90 days. Surprisingly, these results illustrate that virtually every migraineur is different – as shown visually in the interactive Curelator Headache Population Trigger Map
https:// curelator. com / nhf-population-trigger-map /
The foremost is that in migraine( and perhaps other chronic diseases with episodic attacks as well), one treatment may not fit all. Therefore, it may be difficult, if not impossible, to find a common therapy for everyone. This factor would certainly help explain the puzzle and frustration of limited effectiveness of current migraine therapeutics.
Triggers in some migraineurs are protectors in others? Really? In the study results shown in the NHF Population Trigger Map, Curelator Headache went one step further than simply identifying migraine triggers. It also looked for factors that were associated with decreasing an individual’ s risk of an attack, so-called“ protectors.” Doesn’ t it become a singularly depressing mandate to find all the things in life we need to avoid? Why not look for positive things to embrace as well? But perhaps even more important, protectors revealed yet another level of individuality. Triggers in some people appear to be protectors in others!
By considering the individual associations of various factors, we observed that many appear as triggers in some individuals and protectors in others – potentially a very important discovery because it leads directly to the following question. If certain factors can be triggers in some and protectors in others, could it be possible that some individuals are able to neutralize their triggers or possibly even turn them into protectors?
The best way to answer this question was to interview as
www. headaches. org | National Headache Foundation 23